Ultrasound and vibratory type emitting devices have been used for medical therapeutic applications over the years. Various types of therapeutic devices have been proposed that apply ultrasonic oscillations and vibrations directly to an affected body part so as to relax muscles, quicken blood flow circulation, enhance healing of the skin, etc. See For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,127 to Abdelghami; 5,230,334 and 6,113,559 to Klopotek; and 5,989,202 to Noda et al.
However, these devices and systems have practical type limitations. For example, most of these devices are limited to direct contact of a portion of the device itself against the skin of the patient. As a result, the field of application is generally restricted to the areas directly beneath the skin contact point. The body contacting requirement does not allow these devices to easy slide over and across one's skin to different areas to be treated. Thus, moving these devices to other body areas usually requires that the device be physically raised, moved and lowered again to the area to be treated.
Furthermore, these devices are generally limited to using acoustical type vibratory signal emissions from a single generator type unit such as an electromagnetic generator, and does not use other energy sources, nor applies other energy emissions for treatments. Still furthermore, the single generators are generally limited to generating only fixed frequency outputs.
The subject inventor has previously sold a basic handheld tool entitled: Tens Cam having a single fixed frequency generating crystal that solely relied on an electromagnetic induction coil to drive a single crystal. The Tens Cam unit consisted only of a Coil wrapped around a longitudinal Crystal, powered by LISS BODY STIMULATOR power pack, where LEDs (light emitting diodes) are used to indicate power being turned on.
The operation of the Tens Cam used a fixed frequency of approximately 8 Hertz that was generated by an electromagnetic source in a narrow beam having a diameter of approximately 1 to approximately 2 millimeters. The delay time for therapeutic effects of the Tens Cam unit was between approximately two to approximately four (4) minutes.
The Tens Cam unit had problems due to it's weight of approximately one pound and its' rough appearance and oblong shape. Taking up to four minutes to generate therapeutic effects on the patient was difficult to do over continuous treatments, since it required the operator to physically hold the one pound unit in a raised position above the patient being treated. Thus, operator fatigue was an inherent result of using this unit.
By physically holding the vibrating unit above a patient throughout a several minute treatment process the operator received direct vibratory effects from the unit. The combination of constantly holding the weight of the unit and the direct vibratory effects, along with the operator being constantly within the generation field of the unit created side effects such as but not limited to fatigue and malaise for the operator. Operators repeatedly using the Tens Cam have complained of side effects of medium nerve paraethias, which is a numbness and tingling effect to their hands and fingers.
Additional problems with the Tens Cam unit as with other electromagnetic and with vibratory units is that all these units can be known to give off heat which has caused tissue damage. Furthermore, theses prior art type units have limitations as to the tissue penetration being achieved, since the tissue penetration depth is limited by the mechanical nature of the vibrations.
All of the prior art units are limited to generating energy directly from electric power supplies and fail to take in additional energy to aid in the therapy treatment. Ambient energy is not used by the prior art devices.
Prior art units have been known to cause injuries directly to the patients. Using a strictly handheld supported vibrating and/or heat generating and/or electrically driven device can potentially injure the patients themselves, if the operator directly contacts the patients with the devices. Electric shocks, burns and other damage can be caused by the patients coming into direct contact with many prior art therapy devices.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the problems with the prior art devices.